Itachi and Kisame: A Fragile Balance
by Secret Sheik
Summary: Their lives together rest on a bond slowly forged. What adventures lay ahead? -NOT Yaoi!-
1. Persuasion

Yet another fan fic. I've been low on ideas lately, so I hope this fic doesn't make you fall asleep or something. Let me also get one thing perfectly straight. This story is not yaoi, and it never will be. I don't do that. Ok? Awesome. This is strictly friendship and getting along between Itachi and Kisame, and adventures they have along the way. This fic will not go anywhere else. Now that we have that settled, let me also add that I do not own these characters. Seriously, if I did, I wouldn't be writing my own darn fan fics. Lastly, I hope I don't mess this up, I'm not too good at male characters. I'm a female, I relate better to females I guess eh? Whatever, enjoy, hopefully it doesn't suck.

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Part 1 - "Persuasion"

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How long had it been since that day? That same day he had wiped out his entire clan, that same moment he stared with pure psychotic glee at the disaster laid out behind him. Sheer exhilaration at the imposed test of his abilities, fulfilled in a matter of but a few hours of work. Ten seconds to kill the parents. Five minutes to wipe out the station. Enough time to lie in wait for the boy to come home and witness his power. Enough time to gain the attention of the Akatsuki. And in that same week, he gained a partner.

At first, he had been a little uneasy around this older man who appeared to be half shark. The guy had fangs, after all! But what surprised him far more was that after getting briefed about Itachi's techniques in great detail, he merely shrugged it off and said that they would manage. He didn't praise the boy for being so talented at his age, he didn't declare him a genius, he didn't even glance at him twice. Kisame just took what was given to him and didn't question its worth. Itachi couldn't have been happier. Finally, a respite from fools who didn't understand their place. Kisame knew his place. He knew that he was the Leader's subordinate, and that he would follow his orders accordingly. And Itachi quickly noticed that his partner had the attribute he favored most - wisdom.

Though Kisame didn't seem to be a deep thinker, he would often go into a bit of a trance at night on their missions, staring off into the distance and thinking. For a long time, Itachi had suspected he just enjoyed the view, especially if it contained any large body of water. But after all these years of Kisame always watching but never speaking, he finally spoke after his long thought process.

"Itachi-san... do you ever wonder what the stars see when they look down on us? Do they even see us at all? To them, we must be so... insignificant."

Itachi sat up with a start, shocked at this moment of analyzation. Even after these past few years, Kisame still had so much hidden beneath. "No. I never think of that. What the hell caused you to be so dramatic like this?"

He smirked, a slight chuckle making his massive chest shake. "A big guy like me can't help but wonder if there might be something bigger out there, right? Even a shark can't go without predation in that vast ocean. Something's always bigger."

Itachi put his chin on his knees, thinking. In the past, HE had always been that bigger fish in his village. He had been the predator that preyed upon the weak, the crow that scavenged after the limping deer that falls so easily. Most importantly, he was also an opportunist, using his intelligence and skill when dominated in the area of strength. "I guess you're right. But what do you do when there isn't anything bigger? What do you do when you've finally reached perfection?"

Kisame paused for quite some time, and Itachi knew better than to think the older man wouldn't answer him. He simply liked to take his time. "When you reach perfection, something bigger sneaks up in your blind spot and proves you wrong."

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When morning came, the two met with Sasori near the Iwakagure border. Today they would be picking up a new Akatsuki recruit. Someone with a talent for explosions, or something peculiar like that. Itachi wasn't too concerned. He had the sharingan and great skill with genjutsu. Few could match him in battle.

The Iwa nin was a bit more determined than he had expected, insisting that his art was above being judged by his unappreciating eyes. And yet his own, cold sharingan eyes stared right back emotionlessly, his penetrating gaze quickly crossing into a genjutsu technique, causing the boy to nearly blow himself up. In just a few minutes, the battle was over and the boy was finally recruited into the Akatsuki. Itachi would never know the secret plot of vengeance that Deidara planned against him.

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It had been a few years since the day they had recruited that boy, now coming into his own stage of adulthood, just a bit younger than Itachi. Kisame couldn't help but wonder at how quickly Itachi had abandoned everything he knew before Akatsuki, his normal life, his hopes and dreams if he had any. Maybe that had been his dream all along. Maybe all this time, he had hoped for nothing more than to kill from the shadows, unknown and unseen, ignored in his self imposed reclusiveness. Even Kisame more or less ignored him unless it was for the benefit of Itachi's health. After all, if he used those eyes too much... But no, Kisame wouldn't let that happen if it could be helped.

Itachi glanced up at Kisame as they walked along towards their next mission. No doubt the older man was concerned for his well-being now that he had told him about his condition. He had mentioned his eventual blindness if he used the Mangekyou Sharingan too much. To his relief, Kisame shrugged it off as usual, telling him they would deal with it when the time came. No "Poor Itachi" or any stupid condolences. They would just cope. That's what he appreciated most about his partner- no, his friend. Yes, a friend...

Kisame did it for both of their sakes. He knew well that Itachi hated to be the center of attention and pitied by everyone around him. The young man had undoubtedly gotten an overload of this in his clan, being as insanely talented as he was. It wasn't because he didn't care that he ignored the man's talents, but rather because he DID. He respected Itachi beyond what the Leader required, on a personal level that the other Akatsuki teams hadn't reached yet. Even Deidara and Sasori frequently argued about what true art was. Only Itachi and Kisame were on the same mental wavelength. That same function that said in a symbiotic way 'You don't ask, I won't ask.' It was that perfect balance of apathy and ignorance.

Their mission was to assassinate a band of rebel missing nin from the mist country. Leader had been quite clear that the Akatsuki didn't need any competition from these second rate rogues. They were to be finished off at any expense. Itachi didn't even need to speak their plan out loud. Kisame knew what to do. They communicated on a level that didn't require the waste of words, knowing perfectly what the other had the capacity to do. Itachi would cast a genjutsu to distract the ninjas long enough to get nearly in their faces, and Kisame would kill the only awake night guard in the meantime. After that, it would be complete chaos as each of the ninjas woke up and fought, but neither of the men doubted their capability of handling the situation, nor did they doubt each other. They trusted their partner completely.

The genjutsu worked as planned, making it seem as if nothing had changed. Even the guard was completely fooled, and Kisame took the woman out easily. Their stealth guaranteed a safe mission. Before any could wake, the two had taken out three more ninjas swiftly and silently. Finally, the rest awakened, and Itachi counted them out to be close to twenty. He had no idea there would be so many, but again, he didn't doubt his own capacity.

They both worked back to back, playing an odd dance of death to all that opposed them, their long experiences together easily overpowering these ninjas that held the ideal of every man for himself. Nothing could compare to the trust and harmony that they held on this twisted wire of time and distance. They were upper class murderers, traitors to their countries, torn inside by the sheer madness that would result if one of them died, lost in purposeless drifting when a chord of the song was gone.

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Next time: The result of the battle, and other things that happen. This first part was a bit of a teaser, don't get mad at me because it's short. I'm just seeing if people like this so far. Next chapter will be longer! 


	2. Harmony

On to the second part, I promise it will be a little longer at least! Once again, no yaoi, don't even bother asking me to do it. I don't own these characters, only the composition of the story. Enough blah blah, right? Enjoy the fic.

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Part 2 - "Harmony"

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Each of them struck a note in their psychotic symphony of discord, enemy ninjas falling one by one at their hands. Neither faltered out of tune, not striking that sharp or flat in the sickeningly melodic crunch of bone under blade. Even as they finished the last ninja off, they both frowned with disgust at how easy this mission was. Though they had taken as much time as they felt like to prolong the fun, it was still too easy to test them. Next time better be more interesting! An instrument is meant to be played to the full capacity of the owner, and without constant practice, the skills faded.

They weren't about to kill all those ninjas without consequence, however. The leader of this band had been hiding in the mist, watching as the two Akatsuki wiped out his entire force of ninjas. At first he had been completely shocked at how easily they did this, but then he had spotted Kisame and his dreaded Samehada. He was one of the last of the seven great shinobi swordsmen of the mist. Even so, to take care of this so easily... his partner would have to be just as talented. And from the looks of things, the two worked in perfect balance, countering when one faltered, guarding a blind spot, or blocking a blow. It was a tense tempo they worked, so casually practiced and even.

Itachi tensed, and Kisame felt this as their backs pressed together stiffly. Though Kisame couldn't see the stranger, Itachi's Sharingan was reliable, and he trusted the younger man to be his sight in the thickening mists. Itachi twisted to fend off a blow aimed at Kisame's front, and finally the stranger stared up at them, more so at Kisame. Had he first glanced at Itachi, he would have been caught in an illusion, but even though that didn't happen, Kisame was quick to act now that the mist nin had shown himself. The great sword Samehada wreaked havoc on the man's kunai, shredding it to a dull edge as Itachi tried to regain eye contact.

Finally, Itachi's eyes contacted the other's, confusing him while Kisame finished the man off. A routine assassination, and rather boring, Itachi thought to himself. The mists curled around the prone forms on the ground, shrouding them in anonymity, cooling the skin of the Akatsuki as they stood waiting, making sure that was the last fight. Only the trees dared to make a sound as the wind shot up from the ocean. Nothing. Finally they relaxed, moving away enough to search the bodies, making sure they were dead. The only movement after that were the two men in black cloaks, the red clouds fluttering in the gust.

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They had not been able to find a hotel for the night, since even without their cloaks, anyone in the country of mist would have instantly recognized Kisame. Fortunately, being from this country, he had found a hot spring hidden in the marshes. The steam from the spring lingered low with the mist still swirling in from the chill ocean, drenching the vegetation in an opaque shroud. Itachi scouted the immediate area while Kisame helped himself to the spring. Being so attuned to the water was both a strength and a weakness, since he could fight better in it and always had a craving for it. He always felt so relaxed here in his home country, even though he was an exile. After all, he didn't exactly leave willingly, but forced into this wandering life after that terrible failure. The occasional visits that brought him here had to suffice. He missed this, missed the ocean, missed his fellow swordsmen. Heck, he even missed his old friends. But then again, he reminded himself, he had made new friends.

Itachi returned from scouting the area, signalling that all was clear. Kisame nodded and turned aside for a moment in a shallow area, allowing some time for Itachi to join him. For a while, neither said a word, having a silent conversation, wondering about why this mission had been so incredibly easy. Why did Leader set them up with something that even an idiot like Tobi could have handled in minutes? Could there have been some ulterior motive to his orders? What could it be? The mist increased in volume, obscuring all but the shining moon overhead, cloaking the spring in a glowing white shade.

Kisame stared up at the filtered light and frowned. "Leader-sama better come up with something more interesting for us to do tomorrow. This was so disappointing."

Itachi nodded lightly, sharing the sentiment. "Don't worry. There will be plenty more with the wars increasing. We just need to be patient."

He scowled out at the horizon. Kisame was a very patient person when he needed to be, but he also hated to be left out of a good fight. "I still can't help but wonder if we got them all. Something about that fight seemed too simple, like it was just a test for something else we were supposed to do. I wonder if the real enemy is watching us even now, waiting for us to have a weak moment."

Itachi studied the older man from the corner of his eye and nodded again. "I wouldn't rule that out, that would be foolish. But we can't do much until they show themselves. Let's wait it out and see, but keep one eye open just in case."

"We should take shifts tonight."

Itachi said nothing, but Kisame knew he agreed to this, and he stayed there in the water while Itachi left to sleep. Kisame always took first watch. For some reason, he preferred staying up late, whereas Itachi was an early riser. He soon followed Itachi, dressing and grabbing Samehada with an iron grip, still sensing there would be trouble tonight. His instincts were often right, and both of them relied on this when Itachi's Sharingan sight couldn't spot anything. He perched protectively on a rock ner Itachi, keenly surveying the land beyond the mist, his own eyes quite suited to the environment. His death grip on Samehada never loosened, and his tense posture never faltered. Itachi wasn't at all disturbed by his partner's menacing appearance, but rather comforted by the fact that he could sleep soundly with Kisame so alert. The older man always seemed so invigorated just being back in his home country, where he knew what to expect, where he could be what he was born to be. He relaxed, knowing Kisame would guard him til the end, and when his own shift came, he would do the same. Their trust, simple and yet complex, was what made them successful.

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Itachi was awakened by Kisame gripping his shoulder lightly. No shaking, no rough grasp, just a simple touch and he was awake. By that touch, Itachi could tell that he was being discreet, trying to wake him without moving much. Knowing this, Itachi cracked his eyes slightly, stealthily trying to see what had disturbed Kisame. No, he didn't see anything, but he felt it, he felt it in the back of his head, where his instinct kicked in. The Sharingan couldn't even spot what the disturbance was, but he knew it was there. Kisame knew too, even this late at night. Kisame rose in an unthreatening pose, glancing around harmlessly. Itachi pretended to be waking of his own accord and paused next to the older man to glance out as well. Something wasn't right.

Suddenly, kunai with exploding tags shot from all corners of the forest, surrounding them with a seemingly impassible barrier. Kisame was faster, fortunately, having expected this attack all along, and he hoisted a still-drowsy Itachi away from the spring. The tags exploded in unison just a fraction of a second later, blowing away chunks of rock and moss, scattering a spray of hot spring water into a mushroom cloud towering high into the sky. Kisame was pelted mercilessly with flying debris, but he managed to protect Itachi from the brunt of the attack, taking it all himself. He could handle it, after all. His bulky frame and immense chakra were both a good defense as well as offense. The spring fell away as he took them further into the bamboo forest, hiding both of them in the mists of a bog. Itachi stepped away, finally fully awake, preparing any weapons he had.

A storm of shuriken flew from the air, clouding the sky like a sickly gray ash cloud before penetrating the mists. Itachi drew a kunai, deflecting each menacing metal shard as it flew by, Kisame using Samehada to block any more coming from behind. They had a well established hierarchy. Kisame blocked the large waves of weapons and Itachi deflected the small but swift waves. Itachi used the Sharingan to calculate the angle of the shuriken, and Kisame watched Itachi's back while the young man darted out to silence one of the assaulters. Four down, only two left, from the looks of things. Itachi's Sharingan locked on to each, and he nodded to Kisame, then to where one was hidden. At once, the two dashed forth into the bamboo, silencing the last of the attackers. It wasn't over. These weren't the same people that threw the explosive tags. There were more.

Correction, only one more. The lone ninja left stood staring out at them, her mist headband glinting in the moonlight, showing the slashed symbol upon it. Another missing nin, just like both of them. Whether the woman wanted to start her own organization or whether she was just a simple rogue like the rest, it didn't matter. She attacked them, and they would retaliate. Only the judge of death would rule who had the right to remain in this fight. Kisame slumped almost imperceptibly, but Itachi could see it even from the corner of his eye. The older man had taken the brunt of the explosion, after all, and was probably wounded or worse. Itachi might have to take her on alone. She poised to attack, her long brown hair flipping behind her, her cold green eyes twisted with rage. Itachi stared back impassively even as she charged forward bearing so much hatred. Cling to the hatred you hold so dear, he remembered. If you don't have enough, then your life will end here.

A storm of crows fluttered into the sky as her kunai pierced what would have been his chest. In a flash, he was before her, his red Sharingan staring into those scared eyes, no longer holding hate but fear. He detested fear. It sickened him beyond reason. Every time he witnessed that glance, that sheer terror, it reminded him of how each clan member he slaughtered looked at him those many years ago. They were foul creatures who didn't know their place in this world, unworthy and unfit to live in their false roles. She was just like the rest of them. Scared, uncertain, taking things for granted, never knowing or caring about where she stood. Crows fluttered through her vision, making her dizzy, disorienting her as Itachi ended her miserable life. Finally, a suitable mission. Something fulfilling, and at last complete. Not exciting, but... suitable.

Itachi stepped quietly up to Kisame, approaching with caution. Although he knew the older man wouldn't hurt him, he still didn't want to make him think that he felt sorry for him. He just leaned over to where Kisame crouched on the ground, looking at him vacantly. "Kisame... I'll take the watch now."

Kisame nodded once, understanding completely, not complaining. His watch would have lasted another hour, but he was injured. And truthfully, he was glad that Itachi cared enough to do this small thing for him. The young man always seemed so distant and apathetic, though Kisame wouldn't complain. They had an unspoken bond of always giving in small, appreciated amounts, never too much or too little. It was a long, drawn out process, resulting in a bond that in the past Kisame would have called a brotherhood. But he chuckled to himself, knowing what Itachi thought of his real brother, grateful that Itachi did NOT see him that way!

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Next time - Although the end is in sight, Kisame can't help but wonder where this mission is really going. Will they even make it back to the hideout tomorrow with all these attacks? Find out next time, and please R&R! 


	3. Motion

Well, time for part 3 already, trying to make things get a little longer, so don't be too mad. I love describing things, and I tend to get a little absorbed in it. Again, I don't own these characters. Enjoy! 

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Part 3 - "Motion"

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The sun finally rose after that long night spent on edge, though the light barely sifted through the dense mists. They only knew the time when Kisame woke up, his predictable internal schedule something of a godsend in this obscured light. With a nod, Kisame stated that he was alright to travel. They wouldn't actually return to the base for two more days, and today they were only supposed to report by using the shadow figure jutsu. It was a pain, but the base was farther up in the mist country.

Pein's specter nodded to them when they arrived, listening to the account of what happened, and was also puzzled by the relative ease of the mission. He too sensed that something wasn't right, and his hollow, impassive voice echoed in the chamber. "I am disturbed by your account. My sources clearly stated that they were all S-rank criminals, but you handled them as if they were mere Genin. I wonder if they might have been decoys."

Itachi nodded. "We suspect so. But if that is the case, then we would request more time to hunt down the actual band."

"Of course. Take them out at your own pace. Just make sure to get them all."

They both nodded, dispelling the jutsu. The leader was fair, though hard to read. He seemed to only have two states of mind - disappointment and that strange calm gaze. But the two never really cared about their unemotional leader. They too were calm by nature, speaking only when they really needed to know something, acting when it was required. In a strange way they had established that same unspoken truce with the leader, to leave well enough alone and take things as they came. And as expected, their two-man team had gained the most favor with their hard to please leader.

Even the wind had come to a complete halt as the two walked through the swirling mists, the vapors imitating the swirling patterns of the clouds on their cloaks. Kisame tracked the chakra signature of the rogue ninjas carefully. Normally on a mission they wouldn't have to trace their prey like this, but Kisame's talent at it still made him perfect for the job. His own massive chakra was very sensitive and he could sense any other chakra that wasn't his own, even if it was very faint. Itachi stayed a distance away, making sure his own strong chakra signature didn't interfere.

Kisame still glanced back at him, grinning. "Even that far away, I can still see your red chakra, Itachi-san."

Itachi strayed farther back, nodding silently. This was the only compliment he would ever get, in the form of half a complaint. No open admiration, just a statement. He watched Kisame's head turn slightly as he traced the foreign chakra, holding back his own admiration of the man's talent. Just as Itachi hated being complimented at every turn, so did Kisame, and neither wanted to tip that balance. He simply followed in silence, tracing the path all the way to a well hidden structure. It almost looked like a castle, but a crudely built one at best. Some kind of secret hideout? And on a low budget from the looks of it. Kakuzu would have been impressed at the minimalism of the structure. Not a single stone was unnecessary, the sparse decor sticking out against the heavy vegetation.

This would be much harder than the earlier fight, and both of them grinned inside at the expectation of a good test. They approached quietly, discussing their plan through every footstep, each breath they took, talking it out with every motion. Itachi would be the scout, and Kisame would be the rear guard. Kisame flanked to the right, angling Samehada slightly, ready for a complete raid. Itachi slid along the wall, inspecting the ground ahead. It was far too quiet, and Kisame sensed Itachi's hesitation. They didn't even need to signal to each other. Every silent step spoke a hundred words, every drift of a hand into a clenched posture described an entire volume.

In complete silence, Kisame stepped in front of Itachi, sensing guards ahead. The younger man didn't even falter, letting him step forward, trusting Kisame's brute force to be enough. This time Itachi took the position of rear guard, but he held Kisame back for a moment to throw a shuriken into the door. The door instantly exploded, setting off several traps inside the building, causing the whole structure to crumble to the ground. As expected, the sparse castle was a trap, and Itachi had been inspecting the thickness of the walls as they went along. Something so thin and cheap had to be a trap, it wasn't suitable to put anything inside.

And right on cue, they were surrounded from all sides by renegade ninjas, their sheer numbers far beyond what the two Akatsuki had been anticipating. They didn't waste even a split second thinking about what they would do. Kisame formed a water element seal, using his supply of chakra to summon enormous waves all around them. Itachi simultaneously jumped up on the wreckage of the castle, the only thing now above water. From his vantage point, he unleashed several Grand Fireballs into the scattering horde, then used the shadow clone technique to disperse himself into five directions. As each clone struggled to confuse and then launch more fireballs, Kisame used his water prison technique to drown some of the more difficult shinobi. Finally running halfway out of chakra, Kisame hefted Samehada ahead of him, shredding whomever it touched, absorbing the chakra of all bodies that it went through. Finally down to a handful of more elite ninjas, Itachi dispelled his clones and returned to his more comfortable position behind Kisame, the two well prepared to dance to the same old songs once again.

Itachi was well aware that he was at a severe disadvantage with all of these water element users around him, and himself being the sole fire user. His talents at genjutsu and his reliance on Kisame to take up where he left off would be enough. Only two ninjas were using earth techniques, and one was using wind. All the rest of the ten were water element users, and Kisame glanced back at Itachi casually. He would take the water users. Itachi turned aside, agreeing to it silently. They charged forth, the thrill of battle awaiting.

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The two figures cloaked in black with red clouds checked over the last body, both beaten up quite a bit, Kisame having received the bulk of the injuries. Itachi didn't have a single scar on his curiously feminine face, though his left arm hung limply, broken in three places. Kisame was beaten and bruised all over, but nothing had broken, so he stepped over to Itachi to offer a renegade's sword sheath as a splint. The older man was cautious, but Itachi nodded once, holding out his left arm for Kisame to tie the splint with the extra bandages he brought along. Itachi winced slightly as the bone was set, but didn't make a sound, just turning aside and taking the pain. He then examined the splint, not exactly amazed that he had managed to tie it perfectly. A man like Kisame probably had to do this all the time for himself.

Kisame grinned and looked up at him. "Ready, Itachi-san?"

Itachi flexed his arm experimentally but then tied it to his neck after it started causing pain. He then nodded. "Mm. I am." He followed behind the older man, lost in thought as they headed in the direction of their base. At long last a decent battle. And he couldn't help but glance to each side of him, still somewhat paranoid. But Kisame was relaxed, walking easily despite his extensive injuries, and Itachi forced himself to calm down, trusting the other's instincts completely. He walked quickly but gingerly, trying not to jar his healing arm, trying not to think of the terrible pain. Kisame glanced back at him, frowning slightly.

"Itachi-san, we should rest."

We, not you. Kisame needed rest just as badly as he did. Itachi didn't nod or speak, just sat down underneath a tree, his vacant gaze staring off into the horizon, showing his agreement. He watched as Kisame sat next to him, slumping over with exhaustion. But for some reason, Itachi didn't feel like having the same silent conversation like usual. He had a different sort of question for him.

"Kisame... You miss living here, don't you?"

The older man chuckled, looking at him from the corner of his eye. "What makes you so interested in me all of a sudden?"

Itachi glanced at him, shrugging. "I don't know. But when you fight here, you seem to enjoy it more. I thought it might be because you miss this place."

Kisame stared at him for a second and nodded. "I miss it. I even miss that bastard Zabuza, stupid as he was. This place was my home. It still is, whenever we come here."

"Mm... it must be hard to miss something like that."

He scoffed. "And you don't miss one bit, eh? You don't miss the attention, the adoration, people putting you on a pedestal. You'd rather be here in the middle of nowhere with a freak like me. That's how it is." It wasn't a question, but a statement. That really was the truth of how it was.

Itachi nodded. "I don't miss it. You know your place in this world, Kisame. You know that there's always something bigger than you, and you respect that fact completely. It's for this reason that I can understand you."

Kisame shrugged, a gleam in his eye. "I know. If you don't know where you stand, you tend not to live very long. Gotta be prepared for that something bigger than you. At least then you know it won't hit you shamefully in your blind spot."

Itachi smiled briefly, and Kisame barely saw it there on his face. "That's why I respect you, Kisame." He leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes to rest. Neither spoke for the remainder of the day, but Kisame was secretly glad that he had gained Itachi's respect. Such a thing was so rarely given, not one had received it so far. And here, out of nowhere, he felt generous enough to give his share.

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Next time: Er... actually I'm not sure what will happen next time. I guess it will have to be a surprise! Please R&R!


	4. Remembrance

Well, by body woke up of its own accord at 5 AM, which angered me severely seeing as I didn't go to sleep until midnight. I had the horrible urge to write more, and I guess I can't subdue it eh? You know the drill, I don't own the characters.

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Part 4 - "Remembrance"

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Kisame woke with a start, sitting up quickly, breathing heavily. Itachi had already been awake and watched him with growing interest. That must have been some nightmare, he wondered to himself. He stared at Kisame until he noticed Itachi's gaze. Kisame stared right back, and shook his head, trying to get rid of that nightmare.

Itachi said nothing for a moment, but finally had to ask. "Bad dreams again?" Kisame looked at him with an unusual expression, and it took him a moment to register that look properly. Fear? Why would he be afraid? Itachi knew that this was a difficult situation, and smiled to make it easier, joking around to help. "What's that scary look for, Kisame? Are you getting hungry enough to eat me?"

The fear fortunately left Kisame's eyes, only to be replaced by disappointment. "Sorry, you just... look like somebody I knew. Had a nightmare about it."

Itachi made sure to tread carefully on this subject. Asking too much would upset the balance of their relationship, but Kisame so rarely shared about his past. "I suppose a lot of people look like me, don't they?"

Kisame nodded, but frowned. "Yeah, but he-" He shook his head, still trying to shake away the last remnants of that dream. "I guess they do."

Darn him, always being so reserved. What could it be? Did Kisame have some sort of memory about an old friend? Itachi decided to chance a guess and ask. "An old friend, right? I've told you everything about my past, but you won't share a single thing about yours, I'm sure with your experience you have some interesting old stories, hm? So who is this old friend that looks like me?"

Kisame hesitated for a long time, watching Itachi with what was no doubt trepidation. His voice was barely loud enough to hear when he finally answered. "Not a friend. Family."

"Family?" Itachi stared at him, wondering how he could have family. Then again, Kisame was much older than he was, and probably had a few relatives still alive. But for Kisame's sake, he kept up the humorous attitude. "I can't imagine any of your family looking like me."

Fortunately, Kisame laughed a little at this, but shook his head. "No, didn't look like me at all. Looked like-..." He paused, gritting his teeth with frustration. Itachi knew better than to ask for more information. He was patient, and waited for Kisame to continue. "I never told anyone in the Akatsuki about that."

Itachi nodded once, deciding carefully what to say. "If they didn't care enough to ask, then they don't deserve to know anyway. Maybe I'm rude to ask, but then again, maybe I care enough to be rude."

Kisame looked up at him with a smirk. That kid had courage, at least. "Fine, since you want to seem so rude, then I better tell you. I did have a life before the Akatsuki, you know. Hard for a kid like you to imagine, but I was well past thirty before the Akatsuki even heard of me. I had... quite a bit going on back then." He paused to see if Itachi would get bored and look away, leaving things as they were, but the young man kept watching, his complete attention focused on the story. "You really do want to know, don't you? Well... if you must know, the guy you look like... he's dead." He glanced at the ground, finding it difficult to even mention these words. "I had a family, did the whole get a wife and have kids thing, tried to do something normal for once. Those two looked nothing like me, and I was grateful they wouldn't have to go through what I did. They looked like her, the same black hair and dark eyes. The youngest was the only one to get anything from me, which was my water alignment. But the other got her talent, the one for fire. I know, fire and water shouldn't mix, but she was... something else. The older boy... he's the one that looked so much like you. I guess when you used your grand fireball yesterday, it was like looking back and seeing it all over again, him using his fire techniques on those soldiers, trying to be a ninja like me. He was talented, one of the best, even. He was hailed as a genius by some. But... He didn't make it very long after that fight, even though he killed every last one of them. His injuries were beyond help, and I had to... I put him down. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Then when I made it back to the house..." He didn't finish the sentence, just glaring into the dirt.

Itachi watched silently, giving the man a moment to regain his composure. Who knew that this ruthless murderer had once loved someone, and even had offspring? Heck, who knew that the genetic roulette could grace those kids with nothing similar to Kisame? "I can't pretend to know what it feels like to watch your family be slaughtered before your eyes. I only know what it is to commit the act. I'm not much help for sympathy."

Kisame looked back up, grinning slightly. "No, you're no help at all, 'tachi. Damn, you're even the same age that he would be now. Nah, you can't understand. Your brother would, after watching what you did." His grin widened. He didn't hate Itachi, not in the least. But he couldn't help if the young man felt any remorse for what he did.

Itachi glared for just a second, but went right back to impassive. "Those people were too full of themselves. They didn't understand where they stood in life, they didn't understand that there was somebody better out there. I had to show them the truth, I had to teach my brother what it is to hate someone, to detest someone with every fiber of his being. Only then will I get what I want."

Kisame leaned back, staring up at the cloudy sky. "Maybe that's what those soldiers thought that day. Maybe they saw us as abominations, blemishes to our clan. We were proud of who we were. Even I was... proud of looking like this, being a monster. But maybe we were too sure of ourselves, and someone like you decided to teach us better."

He had never thought of it that way. He never saw Kisame as a monster, or an abomination, or anything of the sort. All he saw was an older, experienced man with too many burdens to share with anyone. And yet, despite Kisame's logic, he still couldn't regret what he did. It was the only way for Sasuke to gain the hatred that both of them required. "No, not someone like me. I only did it to give my brother reason to hate me. I needed him to be desperate enough to do anything to beat me, to come after me. It was and still is for very selfish reasons. But the alternative... I don't want it to come to that."

Kisame smirked at him, finally catching on. "Now you are the one not telling me anything. You don't just want him to hate you. You want him for something else."

Itachi needed to be careful. "Possibly."

"It has to do with the Mangekyou Sharingan, right? You want him to get it too?"

Damn but that shark man was perceptive! "...Possibly. I suppose you'll keep guessing until you get it right, won't you? If I just tell you, at least keep it a secret."

Kisame nodded. "I won't even tell Leader-sama."

"If he gets the Mangekyou Sharingan, then I won't have to worry about going blind anymore. I can do what the old leader did... It's a terrible price to pay, at least on his end. But soon my Sharingan will lose its light, and even now the madness is trying to take over me. I have to make sure he gets it. I have to do it before I go completely insane."

"You're already going blind, eh? You didn't tell me that."

"It's not bad yet, but once in a while shapes tend to blur and I can't quite tell where it's going. If I don't use the Mangekyou unless I badly need it, I'll last long enough. And if he has it... then I will take them from him."

Kisame leaned forward, concentrating on Itachi carefully. "He's looking for you even as we speak. When are you going to confront him?"

"I would go now if we didn't have to return to the base. Our missions have been so strange, I wonder if Leader-sama is a bit distracted right now."

"Yeah, well, we've lost so many members recently, he's probably hard put to do something about all this. Even so, this is unlike him to not know about this other hideout on our mission. He might not even notice you're gone, or if he did he wouldn't care."

"No, I bet he wouldn't." Itachi watched the older man for a minute, wondering if even he would care. Kisame seemed to be the only Akatsuki member that regretted everything he had done in the past, the only one that hated his new life and missed his old one. Would Kisame miss him if he died? When a page of the music was gone, would the musician go on playing from memory, forgetting that it was ever there? "Kisame...?"

Kisame looked back at Itachi, knowing what he would say. "Go ahead. If Leader has a new mission, which I doubt, I'll cover for you." Itachi turned to leave with a nod, but Kisame stood abruptly and approached him. "Itachi, don't die on me."

Itachi looked back, his eyebrows raised with surprise. "I don't intend to."

Kisame stared apprehensively, seeing his son's face again, though Itachi's gaze didn't match the determined fire he had seen back then. Even so, it was hard to look at Itachi then, going off on his own for a final confrontation, wondering if he would make it back. "You better not, 'tachi. I don't want to lose you too."

He turned away after one last hesitation, nodding as he left. "I promise, Kisame, I'll do my best to not let it come to that."

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Next time: Will Leader care he's gone? Will he even notice? Will Itachi kill his brother, or will Sasuke finally complete his act of vengeance? Be sure to read the next part! 


	5. Broken Key

And now for the final (better be, I'm sick of this) chapter. I'm still really tired from unwillingly waking at 5 am this morning, and I will be sure to check it over for typos this time. It does deviate slightly from the manga, being that Kisame leaves NOW and not after confronting Sasuke's other ninja friends. But I don't like those guys. That being said, characters are not mine, and enjoy.

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Part 5 - "Broken Key"

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Kisame sat alone on the path, close to the next base. He had gotten a message from Leader to go to the base hidden in the grass country instead, since the mist base had been compromised. It had taken one extra day, but he had used the time alone to his benefit. After some careful thought, he decided to try and let go of some of his past. It was hard at first to try and put it all behind him, to realize that it had slipped away a long time ago. But he reminded himself that if you look into the past too much, you begin to forget the present, and can no longer plan the future. The past has already happened, and it can never be changed. But he could change his future, and he could do that by living in the present.

His head finally held high with acceptance, he stood up, facing forward on the road, leaving the outskirts of the fire country and headed into the grass country, determined not to look behind him. He trusted Itachi to do what he promised, to try his hardest to not get killed. Even so, he only promised to try. There was no guarantee he would survive. Kisame gritted his teeth with frustration, determined to put on a good face if only for the sake of everyone else. He stepped before the lopsided tree in the middle of a vast plain, seemingly nothing to everyone except the Akatsuki, and with a touch of his chakra, the base of the tree slid aside to allow him entrance.

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In the meantime, Itachi and Sasuke had finally met for one last battle, each determined to get exactly what they wanted. Itachi had told him everything, about Uchiha Madara, the real reason he had spared the boy's miserable life, and how he intended to achieve the permanent Mangekyou Sharingan. The madness crept upon him slowly, becoming nearly unbearable as he finished his explanation. Somehow it didn't seem right for the calm, impassive Itachi to have this horrid look of delirium on his face, completely neurotic with the urge to satisfy the Sharingan's hunger. It was a complete transformation, taking over both mind and body until he wasn't completely sure who he was anymore. Now he stood, clutching his brother against the wall, so close to obtaining the eyes that would never lose their light, so close to achieving what the great Uchiha Madara had left behind.

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Kisame waited in the main lounge for Leader to show up, wondering where the others might be; not that there were a whole lot left. Just Zetsu, Tobi, Pein, and Konan. The place felt so empty without them. After a few hours had passed, Pein and Konan entered the base, and Pein glanced over at him briefly, then looked around.

"Where's Itachi?"

He shrugged and grinned, giving a vague, abridged version of the story. "Had to do something to his younger brother, from what I could tell. Didn't tell me anything specific, except that he might take a while." Not the complete truth, but he had told Itachi that he wouldn't even tell the Leader the full story, after all.

To his surprise, Pein just looked at him impassively. "Oh... Alright. Thanks." The leader left with Konan, leaving Kisame to stare after him. What the hell was up with that guy? Didn't he even care that Itachi was more or less missing? Something was definitely eating at him, though that reclusive guy would never admit to it. Kisame just shrugged it off and leaned back, trying to get something halfway resembling rest. For a few minutes, he nearly dozed, but he was rudely awakened by a certain orange masked someone. Although, last week's prank had left Tobi's mask covered with blue paint, and he seemed joyfully oblivious.

"Kisame-san! Eh? Where did Itachi go?"

Kisame frowned, already irritated as it was. Although he believed that Tobi added some joy to their otherwise gloomy organization, he wasn't in the mood. "He went after his brother. Leader was just in asking the same thing. Don't know where he is."

Tobi fell silent for a moment, completely serious. But in only a second, he reverted back to his usual glee, nodding at him. "Then Tobi will talk to Leader! Byeeeeee Kisame-san!" He turned away and-- good lord, was he skipping away? Kisame frowned with disgust at the sight, really wanting to get back to his otherwise nice nap. He sighed, hoping that this would be the last of the interruptions. Finally he fell asleep, if only for an hour or so, before he heard Konan approach and go into the kitchen. He woke slowly, nodding to her as she passed by, and listened as she cooked something on the stove. She better not be making calamari again.

He had nearly dozed off again when he heard Konan yell. "PEIN-SAMA! I made calamari for you too!" Oh. No. No, she didn't. SHE DID!

"CALAMARI? Konan-sama, WHY do you do this every time I'm around??" He scowled in the general direction of the kitchen, completely irritated. Every time, without fail! She only made calamari when he was around! Or sushi, or something equally offensive. After a while, Pein came out into the lounge, his hair still wet, and Kisame turned towards the wall, completely sickened by the smell of cooked calamari. They talked to each other, something about a new recipe she was trying, and finally she mentioned pairing it with sashimi. He decided right then that he'd had enough of this conversation. With a groan, he stood and glared at them. "That does it!" He stalked away in a huff, leaving them to stare after him. And just when he had slammed his room door, he could hear Pein laughi-- wait, LAUGHING? Since when did the callous, cold leader laugh? What the hell was going on around here?? He flopped down on his bed, trying to drown out the noise with a pillow, really wishing he could just go back to sleep.

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Itachi couldn't see anymore. He felt only severe pain, and only barely felt Zetsu's presence next to him, inspecting his vital signs. Zetsu paused with a slight hitch in his breath, almost a gasp, and Itachi knew he was done for. If anyone knew when prey would die, it would be Zetsu. He couldn't bear the pain, and he still had hours to live. How could he bear this, how could he stand to last til that dying breath?

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Kisame was laying back on his bed, trying to get some rest, when Konan tapped on his door before letting herself in. He didn't consider this rude, especially after he saw the look on her face. Her pale eyes darted to the wall and she pushed back her blue hair nervously, trying to avoid whatever it was she had to say. But he sat up and looked at her, his open gaze encouraging her. "Konan-sama, what is it?"

She sat next to him, avoiding his gaze for a moment, but when she looked up at him, her usual serene gaze turned to one of sorrow. "Kisame-san... Zetsu just came by. He... found Itachi."

His eyes widened. "Found? What do you mean? Is he... gone?"

She shook her head, but bit her lip with despair. "No, not yet, but nearly. Zetsu doesn't expect him to last very long. I'm so sorry. I know how hard it is... to lose someone so close to you."

He was silent for a moment, his hands on his knees, leaning on what little support he could muster in his suddenly weak muscles. It was just like before. "I'm... glad you were the one to tell me this."

She nodded, and put her hand on his shoulder to be supportive. "It's hard for all of us. But Zetsu wanted to bring him back, if only to give him one last moment of peace."

"That's unusually kind of him." He took a deep breath, trying to keep stable. For Itachi's sake, he wouldn't break down in the young man's last moments. He owed him that much. "Ok. I'm ready, let's go." The two left together, though neither was prepared for the complete mess that lay before them in the lounge. There was blood everywhere, and Itachi lay disgraced there on the floor, his failure paining him both inside and out. Kisame didn't think twice, and rushed to his side, ready to offer what little help he could. "Itachi-san! What happened?"

Itachi couldn't see a thing, but he recognized the voice, the aura of his long time partner, and he felt somewhat comforted. His lungs heaved and he coughed up blood, his words coming slowly and painfully. "I told him about the secret about the Mangekyou Sharingan... and he... took my eyes... said he had no problem with... stealing from me instead... of killing a friend." Kisame didn't even listen to what Pein said, something about the permanent Mangekyou, but he was listening for Itachi's words as they barely escaped. "I... I'm not going to live, am I?" Even though he couldn't have seen anything, he still faced the direction of Kisame's eyes, knowing the answer already. None of them spoke, and Kisame hesitated. He deserved the truth.

"No, Itachi-san." It pained him to say these words. It was so much like that time so many years ago, watching his son torn to shreds, laying in his arms just like this, beyond help and clinging to life.

"Please finish me off. I'm... I'm just going to suffer anyway. I... don't want anyone else to do it."

Kisame watched him for a moment, struggling to fight off those old emotions. The ancient scars threatened to break open again, to tear him apart once and for all. "You really want me to... don't you?"

Itachi smiled slightly, feeling guilty for making Kisame suffer through this again. He had never imagined it would end up this way. He expected to return triumphantly, having regained something his clan had nearly lost. Now he was a disgrace, lying in a pool of blood and doomed to die. He didn't want to suffer any longer. "I wouldn't have asked... if I didn't."

Kisame watched, hesitating, remembering all too well, hearing those same words again, those remnants of memory overlaying this scene. And in that moment, he saw it all over again, the rain falling steadily, washing away the blood as it poured from the body, his son begging him to be put out of his misery. But he risked a glance up at the other members, who only looked away with sympathy. Better for Itachi to die a short, merciful death. "Alright, I'll do it. Just leave us alone for a minute alright?" He paused once more, then lifted Itachi's slight body up from the ever growing puddle, taking him outside to give him one last time under the open sky.

Itachi laid there under the bright sun, and he could swear he could see the light shining down, though he knew better. But he smiled anyway, enjoying it as his nerves deadened from overload of pain. "I don't feel it anymore, Kisame... the pain... it's gone..."

The older man tried his best to be strong, though it was getting harder and harder. "You really want me to finish you off. But it's so hard. I can't help but see him in you."

"I'm sorry, Kisame... I tried my best..."

"No, no, don't be sorry." He rushed his words, determined to leave off on a good note. "You said you would do your best, and you did, 'tachi. I'm proud of you."

Itachi started shaking, the pain coming back in full force. "I can't take it anymore. Please... can you do it? You don't have to... I'm sorry for making you feel like you do..."

Kisame readied his kunai as a tear unwillingly fell down his cheek onto Itachi's face. "No, I'm sorry, Itachi. For you... and for... Kurokawa." He didn't look as he plunged the kunai straight between the eyes of his partner, not wanting to think about it, not wanting to add this to his memory. But even though he didn't see it, he would always remember the slick noise of metal against skull, and would remember the agony that would torment him for years to come.

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End of the final chapter, and if you read the Pein/Konan fic, you'll see that I tied this in with it. I thought it would be interesting to get each team's take on the recent events in the Akatsuki, and add some back story on these unappreciated characters. Hopefully it didn't suck too bad. Oh, Kurokawa translates to something like "Black river" in case anyone cares. I thought it sounded interesting anyway. 


End file.
